Soldier and Society in "Dirge"

Poem Review # 50597

English > Analysis
Literature > English
Literature > Poetry

An analysis of the relationship between the soldier and society in James Shirley's poem, "Dirge".

900 words () | 1 source | MLA | 1999 | Canada

Published on: Apr 18, 2004

Paper Summary:

In the poem, "Dirge", James Shirley uses poetic techniques, such as literary device and line structure, to display the relationship between soldiers and society. This paper explains how the poem compares the fate of those who participate in war to the fate of anyone else and finds that there is little difference between the two. It also develops the argument that most soldiers are soon forgotten after death, despite their service to their country.

From the Paper:

"To help display his ideas, James Shirley uses such literary devices metaphor, personification, alliteration and imagery. He also uses line structure as an effective technique. The poem is set up in such a way that the first four lines and the last two lines in each stanza contain eight syllables each, while the fifth and sixth lines have only four syllables in each. These shorter lines may have been inserted to symbolize the lives of soldiers, which have been cut short as a result of the senseless killing in war. Shirley also uses a variety of literary devices throughout the poem. The first two lines read: "The glories of our blood and state/Are shadows, not substantial things" (Shirley 347. 1-2). In this passage, the poet has used metaphor to compare the triumphs of soldiers to shadows which have diminished with time and are no longer valued by those who still live."